A total of 85 persons, including 30 women, with babes in arms, were arrested today, while proceeding to picket the Kodanadu house of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, where she is in residence now.

The workers were part of 150 protestors, who had staged a picketing some two km
away from the house a week ago, for not being allowed to meet and submit a memorandum
to the Chief Minister. The memorandum was against an Assistant Director, Health Services, (TB), who had allegedly issued 750 appointment orders as against the 70 vacancies for the posts of field workers, lab assistants and TB Inspectors some 18 months ago.

Claiming that the official, Vasanthan had taken bribe ranging from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh for issuing the orders, the protestors said that they were not paid salary, despite working for the last 18 months. Two persons had committed suicide and four had attempted suicide, even as Vasanthan, based on charges, was transferred to Tirupur, they said.

Since they were not given audience, the affected workers decided to picket the house today, to bring their problem to the notice of the Chief Minister.

However, they were detained at Keradamattam, and a few others at Dannington, about two km before the Kodanadu residence.